Ever wondered why players are drawn to casino slots?
One of the most popular reasons, apart from the interactive, modern-day gameplay of video slots, is the opportunity to win a jackpot—normally in the form of a progressive jackpot—but players don't always consider just how slim the chances of winning the jackpot are.
? It's becoming more and more common now for players in the UK to look for either no deposit free spins or free spins with no wager attached to wins in order to feel like they're getting something back for nothing.
However, if jackpots are your thing, have you ever tried checking out a jackpot tracker?
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What are jackpot trackers
A jackpot tracker is basically just a comparison feature that offers an Up to the minute list of progressive jackpot values creating a real wow factor when it comes to incentivising you to take part in them. ? Jackpots can run into the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions of pounds.
But don't misunderstand anything. Trackers do not increase your chances of winning. They simply put you in the picture when it comes to getting an idea of just how large jackpots are growing on certain slots.
You will most often find trackers on the casino websites themselves, but some freestanding tracking sites only list jackpots from licensed and regulated casinos.
Can trackers help with strategy
Trackers are purely information gadgets. They offer no real benefit in-game strategy or winning outcomes. Most people think that larger jackpots mean a machine is “due” to pay out, but slots are not built that way.
For instance, a £5 million progressive jackpot will appear later than a £1 million one, but the odds of winning it remain the same on every spin, irrespective of the level. Each spin is entirely random, and the results of previous spins do not affect subsequent ones.
With that being said, even jackpot trackers are occasionally preyed upon by the gambler's fallacy. If they see a jackpot significantly larger than average, they'll often feel that it's ready to drop. That's not mathematically based, but it also plays a part in how some individuals select a game to play.
Why progressives
Progressive slots are so well-liked because the jackpot amounts grow larger over time.
? They're networked across many casinos so that each bet placed by a player at any site that is part of the network adds a little percentage to the common jackpot fund.
Slots, like the popular Mega Moolah from developer Microgaming, or Mega Fortune by NetEnt, are each hosted by numerous online casinos.
This means that any number of players at any of those casinos can play it, and every time someone plays a stake, a percentage of that goes towards the progressive jackpot total.
The appeal of progressive jackpot slots is primarily due to the massive jackpots that they have. A slot’s main jackpot prize is always prominently displayed, too, so all players know what it is simultaneously.
While that’s great, the trouble is that a player using one machine won’t be aware of other progressive jackpots, and it would be an inconvenience to load each one just to find out. So this is where having a quick look at a jackpot tracker can be useful.
The win
To be a progressive jackpot winner, you usually have to achieve a certain combination or play a special bonus round. In case you're successful, the winner of the jackpot receives the full amount of the disclosed prize.
It should be pointed out that, in most games, the jackpot is only available on max bet spins. It is something that players seeking the largest prizes should be aware of.
And even when you have won a jackpot, the game is not reset to zero. Instead, it drops to a pre-set minimum starting value so that it remains attractive to subsequent players. No one would want to spin for a jackpot that is at £0.
Tracking the trackers
Jackpot chasers will certainly find the information from jackpot trackers useful, because it will let them know which individual game has the biggest prize at the time. They are useful and legitimate on legal casino platforms, but they also serve the casino’s interests, encouraging more play on jackpot-linked titles.
